Welcome to Seawatch Southwest

November 2007 - January 2008

SeaWatch SW survey now finished!
After 92 days and over 1000 hours of continuous observation, the 2007 SeaWatch SW survey at Gwennap Head (Cornwall) finally came to an end on 15 October. About 40 volunteer observers took part in the survey, and the project team would like to thank all of them, in particular those core observers who covered several days and local observers John Swann and Jean Lawman for their invaluable help and advice. Supporting data were also collected from our sister sites at Berry Head (Devon) and Strumble Head (Pembrokeshire) during the survey period. A team of students at the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton are currently working on various scientific and conservation aspects of the data, and we are aiming to have the 2007 annual report available on this website in early 2008. We are already looking ahead to the 2008 survey, and a call for volunteer observers will be announced here in January.

Unprecedented Basking Shark influx into southwest waters!
Basking Sharks hit the headlines again in early September, with reports of up to 460 seen off Land’s End on 5 Sept. This coincided neatly with a count of 72 on the same date recorded nearby at the SeaWatch SW watchpoint, which was the peak count of the entire survey period (mid-July to mid-October). This unprecedented influx may have been the result of a late plankton bloom off the Land’s End peninsula, but the SeaWatch SW team are currently analysing weather, sea temperature and plankton data to see if this is really the case. Basking Shark numbers off the Gwennap Head watchpoint dropped rapidly after this influx, and very few animals were seen further north after early September, suggesting that this large aggregation may have been the result of northern sharks moving south and mixing with those already in the south west, before they all moved offshore into deeper water for the winter.

Balearic Shearwaters passing Gwennap Head top 1000 mark!
Balearic Shearwaters were recorded every day off the SeaWatch SW watchpoint between 15 July and 15 October, with the cumulative total reaching 1344 birds. This result underlines the importance of south-west waters for this species. The peak counts were of 72 on 4 Aug and 62 on 24 Sep; the early peak is mostly thought to represent non-breeding immature birds, while the late peak probably included a proportion of newly-arrived juveniles and post-breeding adults. Even allowing for duplication, it is likely that in excess of 1000 birds passed the SeaWatch SW watchpoint this summer and autumn, providing a useful baseline that can now be compared with future years. Interestingly, peak day counts off Gwennap Head and other key sites were higher in 2006, indicating that even greater numbers were present in UK waters.

Marine life bonanza off SeaWatch SW watchpoint!
The SeaWatch SW team at Gwennap Head saw a variety of spectacular marine animals during September and October, aided by a dominance of calm weather. The core shark observers (Leire Ordorika, Gavin Morrison, Kathryn Driscoll, Trevor Osborne, Emma Rathbone, Gareth Lewis, Jonathan Bills, David Chanter, Charlotte Cooke, Trevor Carpenter, Cecile Chauvel, Marcus and Zoe Ward) were treated to regular sightings of Minke Whales and Risso’s Dolphins, as well as 100’s of Common Dolphins, 10’s of Harbour Porpoises and small numbers of Bottle-nosed Dolphins. However, it seems to have been a relatively poor year for Ocean Sunfish in UK waters, and there were only sporadic reports from the watchpoint despite the generally calm weather. Up to 17 Grey Seals were regularly seen hauled out on rocks to the west of Gwennap Head. Daily updates and images (including videos of Basking Sharks) can be viewed on the Results and Gallery pages, with full analysis to come later in the annual report.

More scarce seabirds seen off SeaWatch SW watchpoint
The core seabird observers (Jeremy Barker, Graham Jones, Nick Adams, Simon Ingram, Tim Parminter, Marc Moody, Sarah Ludwig and Russell Wynn) recorded a good variety of seabirds during September and October. Notable records included a total of seven Great Shearwaters, 20 Cory’s Shearwaters and nine Grey Phalaropes, as well as a day peak of 115 Sooty Shearwaters. Other scarce species included several Red-throated, Black-throated and Great Northern Divers, Pomarine Skuas, Little and Mediterranean Gulls, Puffins and a dark morph (Blue) Fulmar. The commonest species were probably Kittiwake and Razorbill, with many 1000’s seen from mid-September onwards. Daily totals are on the 2007 Results page, with full analysis to come later in the annual report.

Rare land birds visit the SeaWatch SW watchpoint
As expected, a succession of scarce and rare migrant land birds were seen at Gwennap Head (or nearby in Porthgwarra valley) during September and the first half of October. Some of these birds were found by SeaWatch SW observers, while others were quickly visited during lunch breaks! Highlights included a Dusky Warbler, several Yellow-browed Warblers, Dotterel, Wryneck, Tawny and Richard’s Pipits, and Ortolan, Lapland and Snow Buntings, Also notable were a Water Rail, up to three Short-eared Owls, a late long-staying Cuckoo, Black Redstart, Ring Ouzel, Dartford Warbler, Firecrest, Pied Flycatcher, and even an escaped Demoiselle Crane. A pair of Choughs was also seen regularly around the watchpoint, frequently feeding within a few metres of the sea-watching team. These birds were colour-ringed, and were offspring from one of the Cornish breeding pairs. Insects included Hummingbird Hawk-moth and several Clouded Yellow and Painted Lady butterflies. Daily reports of those birds found or seen by project observers are on the 2007 Results page, with some images on the Gallery pages.

Balearic Shearwaters begin to retreat southwards
Nationally, a total of 185 Balearic Shearwater reports was received during September, a slight decrease on the August total. Relatively small numbers were recorded in the first half of the month, but an influx on 20th saw 74 passing Portland Bill (Dorset), with 62 off Gwennap Head on 24th probably representing westwards movement of these birds. Interestingly, a group of observers from Portland recorded a total of 111 Balearic Shearwaters moving north along the Cherbourg peninsula (northern France) on 26th. It seems likely that these birds were relocating into the English Channel after being pushed southwards by strong northerly winds, and support the idea that a loose aggregation of 100 or more birds was present in the western English Channel in late September. Elsewhere, numerous records of up to four birds were again received from North Sea coasts, with one record from North Ronaldsay (Orkney). Numbers rapidly decreased in October with just 45 records received, all from the south and southwest coasts of the UK; the peak count was of 28 off Gwennap Head on 13th. To view the full September and October reports, and other 2007 monthly summaries with distribution maps, visit the Results page.

Spectacular images of Balearic Shearwaters!
Kris Gillam has kindly supplied us with a portfolio of stunning Balearic Shearwater images taken from a boat off the Needles, Isle of Wight, during August. The images are some of the best we have seen of the species taken in the UK, and show birds on the water, flying and plunge-diving. See the Gallery pages for more details.

Balearic Shearwaters hit the headlines!
A joint press release publicising the increased presence of Balearic Shearwaters in UK waters was issued by the RSPB in October, based upon initial results from this year’s SeaWatch SW survey. Reports subsequently appeared in the media, both at a national level, e.g. The Daily Telegraph, and more locally, e.g. The Western Morning News and BBC Radio Cornwall. To see a copy of the press release click here.

September - October 2007

Whales and sharks seen during SeaWatch SW survey
The survey phase of SeaWatch SW, based at Gwennap Head, continued throughout August, with a variety of interesting marine wildlife being recorded by the core shark observers (Steph Hinder, Helen Earwaker, Paul Johnson, Martin Gillingham, Russell Wynn, the SAHFOS girls and Leire Ordorika). Large numbers of Basking Sharks were seen, with local observer John Swann bagging the maximum count of 51 at lunchtime on 17 August (including three breaching). Other peak counts included 350+ Common Dolphins, 21 Bottle-nosed Dolphins, up to 20 Harbour Porpoises, at least one Minke Whale on several dates, and even a distant Fin Whale seen by local observer Jean Lawman on 20th. In contrast, Ocean Sunfish were relatively scarce, with just eight recorded, and no jellyfish were seen. Daily updates and images (including videos of Basking Sharks) can be viewed on the 2007 Results and Gallery pages.

Large shearwaters appear off SeaWatch SW watchpoint
A dominance of northerly winds ensured that rare seabirds were hard to come by for the core seabird observers (Ken Shaw, Kevin Peace, Pete Berry, Russell Wynn, Tom McKinney, Simon Hartill and Kevin Bainbridge). However, the totals included three Great, 19 Cory’s and 255 Sooty Shearwaters (including an impressive 160 on 18th), as well as single Sabine’s, Mediterranean and Yellow-legged Gulls, a peak of 100 European Storm-petrels, several Pomarine Skuas, and small numbers of Puffins lingering offshore. Land bird migrants included Osprey, Long-eared Owl (in off the sea), Grey Heron, Green Sandpiper and Greenshank. Full details on the Results page.

Balearic Shearwaters push northwards
Nationally, about 215 Balearic Shearwater reports were received during August, a big increase on July. The peak count was 72 off the Gwennap Head watchpoint on 4th, contributing to a monthly total of 426 birds there (nearly all moving west). Other double-figure counts were restricted to Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Bridges of Ross (Ireland), however, there was a clear northwards push of birds into the North Sea and Irish Sea. Single individuals even made it as far north as Orkney and the Outer Hebrides! To view the full August report and other 2007 monthly summaries with distribution maps, visit the Results page.

How many Balearic Shearwaters are out there?
Counts of Balearic Shearwaters passing the Straits of Gibraltar this year have yielded some surprises, as revealed by colleagues in Spain (http://www.fundacionmigres.org). Partial coverage between 15 May and 17 July produced a westwards flow of birds out of the Mediterranean and into the Atlantic in excess of 12,500 birds! This is greater than the estimated world population of 10,000 birds, and may indicate that 1) some breeding colonies are yet to be discovered, 2) there are more non-breeding birds than has previously been estimated, or 3) that birds are circulating west of Gibraltar and passing back into the Mediterranean further offshore on a feeding loop. More research is clearly required, but these figures may suggest that there are more Balearic Shearwaters in existence than was previously thought, although this will not change their critically endangered status.

Balearic Shearwaters suffer poor breeding season
Initial results from monitoring of colonies on the Balearic Islands has revealed that 2007 has been a poor breeding season for Balearic Shearwaters. Miquel McMinn and Ana Rodriguez report low numbers of fledged chicks, even from colonies with no obvious predation. The results this year come against a backdrop of declining breeding productivity in the last decade, meaning the overall outlook for the species is still very uncertain. It also means that plans to colour dye a number of juvenile birds, to trace their migration pathways and preferred feeding areas, have been put on hold, in order to avoid jeopardising the small number of fledged juveniles.

RAM report for February-April 2006 now online
The 6th report of the RAM project (Iberian Seawatching Network of Seabirds and Marine Mammals) is now available. RAM involves over 100 volunteer observers counting all marine seabirds and cetaceans from Iberian headlands on selected days throughout the year, to provide snapshots of species distribution and abundance. A dedicated page of Balearic Shearwater results reveals that small numbers of birds were still present in Iberian Atlantic waters in February and March, but almost all had returned to the western Mediterranean during April (where breeding birds were present in large numbers throughout the period). This pattern mirrors the SeaWatch SW results for the UK, with small numbers of birds lingering into late winter but no records being received for from mid-March to mid-May. To view the RAM report online visit: http://www.telefonica.net/web2/redavesmarinas/index.htm.

Harassment of Basking Sharks off Gwennap Head
One of the aims of SeaWatch SW is to observe and record instances of harassment of Basking Sharks off the Gwennap Head watchpoint, and elsewhere in the region. Reckless or deliberate disturbance of Basking Sharks is illegal under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and such behaviour can lead to sharks being injured or forced away from a preferred feeding area. Already the team have observed several instances of boat users recklessly disturbing sharks, and a full dossier has been passed on to the police. Other recent incidents have been highlighted in the local media, and on the BBC News website:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/6971053.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/6955569.stm

Help the RSPB get the UK Marine Bill into the political front line
Please help ensure that the UK Marine Bill is part of the Government’s legislative agenda for 2007-08 by securing its inclusion in this autumn’s Queen’s Speech. Data collected during SeaWatch SW and other projects will only reach their full potential if initial Government proposals for Marine Conservation Areas are driven forward. So please log on to the RSPB weblink below and sign their petition: http://campaignwithus.rspb.org.uk/marine

July-August 2007

SeaWatch SW survey phase is under way
The survey phase of SeaWatch SW, based at Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra, began on 15 July. The project co-ordinator, Russell Wynn, acted as core seabird observer from 15-31 July, assisted by core shark observers Rafe Holmes, Leire Ordorika and Steph Hinder, and several visiting observers. Despite some challenging weather conditions, the team stuck to their task and recorded a spectacular array of wildlife. Highlights included a peak count of 25 Basking Sharks visible at one time, several Minke Whales, regular encounters with Common Dolphins, Harbour Porpoises, Grey Seals and Ocean Sunfish, and even a brief view of a probable Blue Shark jumping clean out of the water while chasing fish! Daily updates and images (including videos of Basking Sharks) can be viewed on the Results and Gallery pages.

1000’s of seabirds pass SeaWatch SW watchpoint!
The first 17 days of the project survey at Gwennap Head have seen 1000’s of Manx Shearwaters passing the watchpoint, as well as good numbers of Balearic Shearwaters (see below). Other seabirds seen on most days included Common Scoters, European Storm-petrels, Great and Arctic Skuas, Kittiwakes, Sandwich and Common Terns, Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills, in addition to the continuous stream of Gannets, Fulmars and Shags. More unusual seabirds included Cory’s and Sooty Shearwaters, an immature Pomarine Skua, several juvenile Mediterranean Gulls, and Roseate, Black and Arctic Terns. Possibly the most spectacular sight was a young Peregrine attacking European Storm-petrels over the open sea for several minutes! Dispersing land birds included a juvenile Green Woodpecker perched on the cliff edge, a first-summer Hobby catching insects over the Porthgwarra valley, and a Grey Heron attempting to land on the sea! Full details on the Results page.

Balearic Shearwater numbers build up in UK waters
A total of 274 Balearic Shearwaters was recorded from the Gwennap Head watchpoint between 15-31 July, with the vast majority of birds moving west. In addition, Balearic Shearwater records from the two sister sites (Berry Head and Strumble Head) and elsewhere in the UK have been coming in thick and fast. The moulting flock off Portland remained until mid-July, and peaked at an impressive 117 birds, while several other double-figure counts came from southwest England. To view the full July report and other 2007 monthly summaries with distribution maps click here.

SeaWatch SW hits the headlines
SeaWatch SW featured in the media in early August, after the early results of the survey were distributed in a press release. The project was mentioned in two separate features on the BBC News website, and the project co-ordinator, Russell Wynn, has been interviewed for several radio stations and regional newspapers. In addition, the watchpoint was visited by a steady stream of tourists, some of whom got to see their first Basking Shark! And for the record…..the SeaWatch SW team have failed to see any Great White Sharks in the first 200 hours of observation!
> BBC News: Survey spots coastal shark life
> BBC News: County basks in tall shark tales

Harassment of Basking Sharks off Gwennap Head
One of the aims of SeaWatch SW is to observe and record instances of harassment of Basking Sharks off the Gwennap Head watchpoint, and elsewhere in the region. Reckless or deliberate disturbance of Basking Sharks is illegal under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act, and such behaviour can lead to sharks being injured or forced away from a preferred feeding area. Already the team have observed several instances of boat users recklessly disturbing sharks, and a full dossier and the accompanying digital video footage will be passed on to the police. In addition, NOCS student Steph Hinder will be producing a full report on human interactions with Basking Sharks in SW waters towards the end of this year, which will be provided to the Marine Conservation Society and Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Key paper reveals impact of climate change on Balearic Shearwaters
A new paper by Russell Wynn and colleagues has just been published in the leading Royal Society journal, Biology Letters. The paper is entitled ‘Climate-driven range expansion of a critically endangered top predator in northeast Atlantic waters’. To see a brief summary click here, or contact the Project Co-ordinator if you would like a PDF copy of the full paper.

May-June-July 2007

SeaWatch SW survey begins on 15 July!
At the time of writing, last-minute preparations are under way for the start of the SeaWatch SW survey, which will be based at Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra. The project co-ordinator, Russell Wynn, will be manning the watchpoint as core seabird observer for the first 16 days, from 15-31 July (this will be over 200 hours of sea-watching!!). He then hands over to Ken Shaw who watches until 6 August. The core shark observers are students from the National Oceanography Centre (Rafe Holmes, Leire Ordorika and Stephanie Hinder), who are studying Basking Sharks, Ocean Sunfish and other marine animals. We already have a couple of support observers helping out during these first few days, and would encourage anyone visiting the watchpoint to pop in and have a chat! Note that daily highlights will be provided to Birdguides and, depending on internet access, we aim to upload detailed daily summaries (with photos) onto this website.

Balearic Shearwaters return to UK coastal waters
After an absence of a couple of months, the first Balearic Shearwaters returned to UK coastal waters in mid-May. Most of the 78 records through May and June were of 1-3 birds seen passing watchpoints in southwest England, although a notable flock of up to 50 birds lingered off Portland Bill from mid-June onwards. To view 2007 monthly summaries with distribution maps click here.

Seabird new to Britain seen from SeaWatch SW watchpoint!
On 25 May an experienced local sea-watcher was lucky enough to see a Masked Booby passing the SeaWatch SW watchpoint at Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra. What was almost certainly the same bird had earlier been seen from a boat off Dorset on 17 May and again from St Catherine’s Point on the Isle of Wight on 19 May. This is the first British record of this species. On a similar theme, an immature Yellow-nosed Albatross, again a first British record, was picked up exhausted at Brean Beach in Somerset on 29 June. It was taken into care overnight and successfully released at Brean Down the following day. Further details and a link to a video clip of this bird can be viewed at http://www.burnham-on-sea.com/news/2007/albatros-released-30-06-07.shtml. Intriguingly, other reports of Yellow-nosed Albatross came from Norway and Sweden in late June and early July, so who knows what else might turn up this autumn?

Basking Shark harassment in SW waters
Large numbers of Basking Sharks were reported from southwest England during May and early June, but unfortunately there were also several reports of animals being illegally harassed. Basking Sharks have been protected under UK law since 1998, and it is illegal to kill, injure or recklessly disturb them. Incidents such as that photographed right in Cornwall this spring should be reported to the police, together with any photos or video that may help to identify the offending boats or individuals. In addition, if you see a Basking Shark this year, please submit your sighting to the MCS Basking Shark Watch project at: http://www.mcsuk.org/marineworld/baskingsharks.

Basking Shark (circled) being harassed off Cornwall by irresponsible boat users.

SeaWatch SW collaborates with Spanish partners
SeaWatch SW is teaming up with European partners to better understand the dispersal pattern of Balearic Shearwaters in Atlantic waters. The first step is to share data with the team of observers who count birds as they leave the Mediterranean via the Straits of Gibraltar. Westward passage at this watchpoint showed a marked peak in late May and early June; these early departing birds will be non-breeding adults or immatures, and will have contributed to the build-up in numbers off southwest England from mid-June onwards. Further details and latest results of seabird monitoring in the Straits of Gibraltar can be found at: http://www.fundacionmigres.org/Proyect_marinas_indice.htm.

SeaWatch SW attracts new grants and sponsors
SeaWatch SW would not be possible without the support of a number of organisations. Grants that are being used to pay for observer accommodation and equipment have been received from RSPB (£1000), Royal Naval Bird-watching Society (£500), SAHFOS (£500) and The Seabird Group (£300). In addition, Birdguides are sponsoring the project website, Southwest Optics are supplying equipment, and data and logistical support have been provided by the Marine Conservation Society, Cornwall Bird-watching and Preservation Society and Cornwall Wildlife Trust. A big thank you to all of them!

British Birds publishes important study on Balearic Shearwaters
A new paper by Russell Wynn and Pierre Yésou has just been published in the July 2007 issue of British Birds, entitled ‘The changing status of the Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) in northwest European waters’. Abstract: Sightings data collated from across the European Atlantic coastline reveal a recent change in the post-breeding distribution of the critically endangered Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus, with evidence for a progressive northwards shift in dispersal patterns. Numbers recorded in the traditional post-breeding quarters, centred on the French Biscay coast, have declined since the mid-1990s and now show marked inter-annual variability. In contrast, numbers recorded from northwest European coastlines show a dramatic and sustained increase since the mid-1990s, with the majority being seen along the coasts of northern France and southwest UK, and smaller numbers north to southern Scandinavia. Although variability in observer effort may have contributed to the observed increase, the spatial and temporal consistency of the results indicates that the underlying control behind the distribution shift is natural. The increased dispersal range may be contributing to the observed low adult survival rate, and may therefore be a factor in the species apparent population decrease. The results presented here highlight the need for future effort-based surveys across the species non-breeding range, and will provide a baseline for conservation measures in northwest European coastal regions where large concentrations now regularly occur.

Boat-based Balearic Shearwater surveys begin in Dorset and Devon
RSPB and Marinelife are leading a boat-based survey of Balearic Shearwaters off southwest coasts this summer and autumn. The aim is to record interactions between Balearic Shearwaters and fishing boats, by placing volunteer observers on the boats themselves. Sightings made during the first survey in Weymouth/Lyme Bay on July 8th included 41 Balearic Shearwaters and a good selection of other seabirds. Full details and some nice photos can be found at: http://www.marine-life.org.uk/coastalmigration/index.html. Anyone wanting to get involved in these surveys should contact Tom Brereton at: THOMAS@brereton14.wanadoo.co.uk.

March-April 2007

Fin Whales and rare birds seen from SeaWatch SW watchpoint!
On Jan 20 and 21 2007 local observers were lucky enough to sea three Fin Whales feeding below hundreds of seabirds offshore of the project watchpoint at Gwennap Head, Porthgwarra. Fin Whales are the second largest animals on Earth, and at least one came as close as 250 m to the shore. Up to six Harbour Porpoises have also regularly been seen from the watchpoint this year, while a selection of unusual migrant birds in the area recently have included Hoopoe, Wryneck, Crane, Red-throated Pipit and Iceland Gull. Rather more exotic was an escaped Bateleur Eagle in March! Seabird passage has recently got going too, for example on April 24 two Pomarine Skuas were seen offshore, together with four Puffins and over 1000 Manx Shearwaters.

Balearic Shearwaters return to breeding grounds
After a flurry of reports of lingering birds around the SW coast in January and February, Balearic Shearwaters soon dispersed back south to their breeding grounds on the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. Consequently, only a couple of reports were received during March and April, both from the project watchpoint at Gwennap Head in early March. We now await the first few returning birds in May and June, with numbers expected to peak between July and October. To view 2007 monthly summaries with distribution maps click here.

First Basking Sharks return to SW waters!
A number of Basking Sharks have already been reported from the SW coast this spring, with the first appearing off Cornwall in early April. SeaWatch SW co-ordinator, Russell Wynn, saw three on a recent scouting trip to the area, with one steadily heading east off the project watchpoint at Gwennap Head on April 20, and two the following afternoon feeding in Gerrans Bay. If you see a Basking Shark this year, please submit your sighting to the MCS Basking Shark Watch project at: http://www.mcsuk.org/marineworld/baskingsharks.

Leucistic Balearic Shearwater seen off French coast!
A leucistic (whitish) Balearic Shearwater was photographed last year off northern Brittany by Paul de Saint-Maur. This is the third record of a leucistic Balearic Shearwater for France; all birds having been in fresh juvenile plumage in late August or early September. This may indicate that their conspicuous appearance ensures they don’t survive into adulthood! The photo was published in the French ornithological journal, Ornithos (Yésou, P. and Bentz, G., 2007. Colour anomalies of the Balearic Shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus. Ornithos 14, 63-64). To see a photo of this unusual bird, see our Gallery pages.

Photo identification of Basking Sharks
During the SeaWatch SW survey, we will be trying to photograph all sharks seen from the project watchpoint at Gwennap Head. This will help us identify individual animals, and how faithful they are to that particular area. All of our images will also be supplied to the European Basking Shark Photo ID Project (EBSPIP). If you also manage to get a good photo of a Basking Shark this year, then you can submit images via their project website at: http://www.baskingsharks.org. They are due to produce an online database of existing photos this summer. In the meantime a selection of Basking Shark fin photos, taken by local Cornwall observer Paul Semmens, are shown in the Gallery, to illustrate how distinctive some sharks can be.

January-February 2007

SeaWatch SW watchpoint is winter Balearic Shearwater hotspot
A total of 42 Balearic Shearwater reports has already been received for 2007, and monthly summaries with distribution maps are now available for January and February. Initial results suggest that SW England is becoming an important feeding area for Balearic Shearwaters in the early winter, with peak numbers seen offshore of the project watchpoint at Gwennap Head. Fortunately there were no reports of Balearic Shearwaters being affected by the MSC Napoli oil spill.

MSc students to study Basking Sharks as part of SeaWatch SW
Three MSC students from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, will be studying Basking Shark occurrence and behaviour as part of SeaWatch SW. Data gathered through direct observations from Gwennap Head during the survey phase of the project will be combined with public sightings data from previous years (held by the Marine Conservation Society and Cornwall Wildlife Trust). The results should provide new information about why, where and when sharks occur in coastal waters of southwest England, and what they do while they are visiting this region. The data will also provide insights into how weather conditions, variations in numbers of observers, and human disturbance affect the abundance and behaviour of sharks seen from the shore.

Scopoli’s Shearwaters breed on French Biscay coast
Small numbers of Cory’s Shearwaters Calonectris diomedea borealis are regularly seen passing southwest England in late summer and autumn. Due to difficulties in field identification, the Mediterranean race ‘Scopoli’s Shearwater’ C. d. diomedea has yet to be recorded with confidence from the UK mainland, although a fully documented and photographed bird was claimed from the Isles of Scilly in August 2004 (Fisher and Flood, 2004) and a further photo record came from Sweden in May 2005 (Erterius, 2005).
The remarkable discovery of a breeding colony of Scopoli’s Shearwater on the French Biscay coast may, however, change our perception of the occurrence of this ‘race’ in Atlantic waters. For some years Cory’s Shearwaters have been seen gathering close inshore off the French coast of southern Biscay. These summer gatherings, sometimes containing in excess of 100 individuals, include birds seen singing, displaying and copulating. In 2005 a recently-fledged juvenile was found nearby on land, while intensive searching in 2006 led to the discovery of three breeding pairs (Mays et al., 2006). Song and biometrics clearly indicated that they were Scopoli’s Shearwaters, and analysis of similar data taken from eight birds examined in the hand in 1988 from the same area also indicated that they were Scopoli’s Shearwaters!
The nearest known breeding colony of Cory’s Shearwaters is some 600 km to the south, on the Berlengas Islands off Portugal. The presence of birds on the French Biscay coast is therefore a marked expansion to the known breeding range, and their confirmation as the ‘Mediterranean’ race throws up numerous questions. What is the viability of the two races, especially as some authorities actually consider them to be separate species? How many more undiscovered colonies are out there? And, in a UK context, should we expect to see even more birds showing features of Scopoli’s Shearwater, given that the nearest breeding colony appears to contain birds of this race? As a final thought, will rising sea temperatures and changing food distributions see the arrival of breeding Cory’s/Scopoli’s Shearwaters in southwest England in the not-too-distant future, especially considering that one was reportedly heard calling on Great Skellig, County Kerry, Ireland on 26 August 2006!

References
Erterius, D. (2005) A Scopoli’s Shearwater off Sweden. Birding World, 18 (6), 246.
Fisher, A. and Flood, B. (2004) A Scopoli’s Shearwater off the Isles of Scilly. Birding World, 17 (8), 334-336.
Mays, G., Durand, J.-M. and Gomez, G. (2006) Breeding of Scopoli’s Shearwater on the French coast of Biscay. Ornithos, 13 (5), 316-319.

SeaWatch SW news archive

March - April 2010

August 2009 - February 2010

July 2009

January - June 2009

December 2008

September-November 2008

August-September 2008

July 2008

February - June 2008